Gunnery-training apparatus



G. GIANGIUPO. GUNNERY TRAINING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION mso oc.6,'1919.

D meme@ sept. 28,1920.

nanterre rarer Grusnrrn eran'soro, or'` CLEVELAND, onto.

. GUNNnRY-'raarnrncf ArranAros.l

TouZZ lwhom z'fmay concern.'

Be it know'n'that I, GIUSEPPE GrANGroro,

' a citizen of the United. States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga,A and State ofUhio, have linvented. anew and use- V ful Improvement in Gunnery-Training Ap'- paratus, of which the following is a specifi- Vmore particularly to an apparatus for training gunners for tank service. Provision is made to transmit a. rolling and rocking movement to the platform or support on which the gun is mounted, which will approximate the movement incurred by a tank while in action over such ground as would be encountered thereby. To the accomplishment of the Vforegoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed-out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set'forth in detail certain 1nechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device mounted on a motor truck chassis; and Fig. 2 is a plan view partly in section illustrating one means of transmitting power to the mechanism.

The present invention is shown mounted on a motor truck chassis 1 provided with the usual driving wheels 2, to which power is' transmitted 'for the engine through the propeller shaft 3 and the rear axle 4.

Carried by any suitable means on the chassis 1 isa column or support 5, on the upper end of which is movably mounted a table or platform 6 by means of a ball and socket joint 7. A gun 8 is mountednear the outer edge of the platform 6 and is adapted to be operated by the gunner during the instructions. Means are provided for imparting a rolling or rocking movement to the platform 6, which consists of a sprocketVV 9 mounted on the brake-band 10 of onev of the wheels 2, from which power is transmit-V ted by' means of a chain 11 toanother Specification of Letters Vatent.

-l Application filed October 6,

flammea Sert. 2e. 1920.

1919. Serial No. 323,315 l sprocketv 12 on a crankshaft l3'held in bearings 14 on'the chassis l1. A connecting rod 15 engages the crankshaft 13 and is provided at-lits upper end with a vspherical er1-1 largement adaptedtoengage a socket on the lower' surface 'of the platform 6,` thereby forming a universal joint. YThe end ofthe crankshaft 13 opposite the sprocket 12 is provided with a bevel 'gear 16 which Vmeshes another bevel gear 17 mounted on another crankshaft 18 at right angles to the crankshaft 13. vided with a connecting rod 19 having a ball and socket joint with the platform 6 similar to the connecting rod 15.

A clutch 20 is provided on the crankshaft 13, adapted tol be controlled by means of a lever 21 adjacent the'seat of the driver of the truck, whereby the driver can control the movement of the platform 6. A

.As will be seen, l have provided a simple and eflicient vdevice for gunnery training whereby a rolling and rocking movement,

' closely simulating the movement of a tank,

is imparted to the operating platform and one which can be applied vto any automobile chassis 'with very little alteration thereto.

,Y By means of the two connecting rods I am enabled to irmpart movement'to the platform in more than one direction, and with the means provided, the rolling and rocking of the device is'always controlled by the instructor who has charge of the machine. By means of this device practice maybe obtained on comparatively level ground, which is generally encountered on rifle and artillery ranges, at the same time providing the gunner with the pitching and tossing which he would encounter in av tank during actual warfare.

Other modes of applying theprinciple of my invention may be employed instead of `the one explained, change beingmade. as

The crankshaft 18 is also prohicle, of a platform pivotally mounted upon the vehicle frame, a gun mounted upon said platform, a crank shaft mounted trans- Vversely upon said frame, a rod connecting said crank shaft with the platform about centrally and longitudinally of the vehicle,

V. a crank shaft mounted longitudinally upon f said frame, gearing connecting said crank i j shafts, a rod connecting said second crank 5 shaft with the platform at one side of the l vehicle, and gearing connecting the driving axle of said vehicle with said first named crank shaft for imparting a longitudinal and transverse rocking movement to said platform.

2. ln a device of the character described,

the combination With la motor driven veliicle, of a platform pivotally mounted upon the if'ehcle frame, a gun mounted upon said platform, a crank shaft mounted transversely upon said frame, a rod connecting said crank shaft with the platform Vabout centrally and longitudinally of the vehicle,

a crank shaft mounted longitudinally upon said frame, gearing connecting said crank shafts, a rod connecting said second crank Vshaft with the platform at one side of the vehicle, gearing connecting the driving axle of said vehicle with said first named crank shaft for imparting a longitudinal and transverse rocking Vmovement to said platform, and means for disconnecting the first named crank shaft from its driving mechanism controllable from the drivers seat.

Signed by me, this 19th day of September, 1919.

-V GiusEPPE GiANGioro. vWitnesses:

f FRANK J. DI SANTO, JAHES F. SANTORELLI, 

